Eormenric of Kent
This article relies largely or entirely on a single source. (July 2014) |
Eormenric of Kent was
Gregory of Tours records that the marriage of Æthelberht to a Frankish princess, Bertha, took place while he was filius regis (the son of the king), most likely during the reign of his father, whom the genealogies name Eormenric. Therefore, Eormenric can be regarded as the first historical King of Kent. As the date of the marriage is not known, Eormenric's reign cannot be dated. Bede placed his death in 560, but since his son's wife was not even born at that time, it seems unlikely. Rather, Gregory implies that Æthelberht's father was still reigning as of his writing (589).
Eormenric's Frankish connection goes deeper than his daughter-in-law. The first component of his name Eormen- was uncommon in England at the time, but common in
See also
References
- Yorke, Barbara (2004). "Kent, kings of (act. c.450–c.590)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Oxford: Oxford University Press